Analysis of the Heartbeat
by Starkreactor
Summary: Just a little B/B fluff and angst, shortly after she finds out he's not dead. One shot, rating probably too high.


Ok, I know this isn't terribly long, and maybe not terribly good, but I am fairly new to Bones and love it. Well, I just watched like six episodes in a row and now at eleven at night this plot bunny WOULD NOT GO AWAY!!! So I had to write him out. This takes place just after the end of the episode "The Pain In The Heart" And is just a little B&B the way the plot bunny demanded I write them. *sigh* Hope it's fairly good, first Bones fic. Just gonna be a one shot.

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"Bones-" Booth sighed, looking at his long time partner, hands clasped in between his knees as they sat together on the stairs. "I really think we need to take care of the whole thing where I wasn't dead and you weren't told, this rift between us is just-" He stopped short, realizing some of where this was going.

"Rift, what rift? You didn't tell me, I got angry, it's over. I'll deal with it. It was a natural hormonal response when I lashed out and now I'm fine. Don't worry about it Booth." Her tone didn't follow her words.

Booth sighed, frustrated at her constant logical wall.

"I just, was offended that my partner didn't think it important enough to inform me personally."

Booth looked up, studying her as she fidgeted, refusing to meet his eyes. It was unlike her to bring up a subject he'd dropped unless it was really bothering her.

He softened, like he always did around her, and took her hand in his. "Bones, just for one moment, could you drop the logic?"

She stared at their hands, and then looked at him. "That would be foolish, without logic we are governed by emotions which are unstable chemical reactions in our brains." Her words were spoken like even she wasn't convinced. Her voice got quieter and quieter, and she had leaned slowly forward as she tried to rationalize.

"Bones, please, just-" Booth pressed her hand to his chest, against his heart. "Just tell me what you feel, right now."

Though still sitting close to him, and her voice quiet, her response was not the one he'd been wanting. "I can feel the contraction of the heart muscle, normal rhythm, and a good measure of the contraction can be felt, indicating a strong heart." Her clear eyes looked up at him, her voice professional as always, but her eyes smoldering with hurt. _Why didn't you tell me? I was worried._

"No Bones," He chided gently, closing her eyes with his free hand and pressing her hand closer to his chest for emphasis. "You feel _my _heart. I know it scared you when you thought that it had stopped. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you, I'm sorry that everyone had to be fooled in the first place." He paused for a moment, then continued. "Please Bones, just for once, feel, don't think. What do you _feel_?"

Her voice was quiet, hesitant, as if she were a vulnerable creature peeking out of its shell. "Your pulse, the warmth natural to the layer of muscle and tissue covering your sternum, the hardness of your ribs…" She trailed off, eyes still closed, her hand pressed against him now on her own.

"That's right Bones, but what does it mean?" He encouraged gently, still coaxing her out of her scientific haven.

Her eyes snapped open, looking up at him, her voice professional once again, even though her hand never left his chest. "It means that you're functioning. That blood is successfully circulated so that the cells-" He covered her mouth with his hand and closed her eyes again.

"No Bones, it means I'm _alive_. It means I'm sorry and I wish you hadn't gone through what you had." He fell silent, watching for her reaction.

Slowly, her posture relaxed, and she uncoiled, leaning into him, her head finding rest against his chest. "Don't you dare do that again." She whispered, voice clogged with emotion, her fingers stroking his chest.

"Don't you ever leave me."

Booth wrapped his arms around her shoulders, kissing the top of her head. "I'll be here Bones, for as long as I can."

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If you liked it, I'd love to know, if you didn't, I'd like to know why =) Just please, only constructive criticism.


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